Automobile front wheel drive axle



W. SELAKOSKY AUTOMOBILE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE AXLE Filed June 11, 1954Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES AUTOMOBILE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE AXLEWilson Selakosky, White Haven, Pa.

Application June 11,1934, Serial No. 730,168

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in means for mounting thefront or steering wheels on automobiles and other motor vehicles, andmore particularly those of the so-called front wheel drive wherein thefront wheels serve to drive as well as-to steer the automobile.

The primary objects of the invention are t provide improved means formounting such front driving and steering wheels whereby the supportingmeans for the wheels is simplified and avoids interference with theconnections of the driving shafts with the wheels, and the mountingmeans for the wheels are so constructed that the tires of these wheelswill be readily accessible for removal, repair or replacement, when suchbecomes necessary.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinationsyand arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinaftermore fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out moreparticularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the front wheel drive axlefor an automobile, embodying wheel mounting means constructedinaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the mounting for one of the wheels, showingthe wheel hub and adjacent portions of the wheel mounting. in section,and indicating by dotted lines the manner in which a portion of themounting may be swung out of its normal operative position to enableremoval or replacement of the tire of the wheel; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of thewheel mountings.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in thedifferent figures of 'the drawing.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in the presentinstance, I represents generally the front axle of a front wheel driveautomobile, such axle comprising a tubular housing 2 containing adifferential gearing 3 which may be connected in the usual manner to theautomobile engine to receive power therefrom to propel the automobile,the differential gearing being connected in the usual manner to a pairof axle shafts 4 which latter serve to drive the respec- 56 tive frontwheels 5. Since the front wheels not only serve to drive the automobilebut also serve to steer it, each of the axle shafts 4 is connected tothe respective wheel by a, universal joint 6 at its outer end, each ofthese universal joints, which 55 may be of any usual or well-known form,being connected to a short shaft 1 which fits into the hub 8 of therespective wheel and is suitably fixed therein, as by a key 9, a nut Illbeing threaded on the outer end of each shaft 1 and serving to retainthe respective wheel thereon, 5

According to the present invention, the front driving and steeringwheels are mounted on the axle by a pair of vertical brackets l I, onefor each wheel. Each of these brackets, which may be composed of steelor other suitable rigid material, 10 is substantially yoke-shaped, sothat it will straddle the upper side of the wheel and may engage,

by bearings, with the wheel hub at the inner and outer sides of thewheel. As shown, each bracket comprises a pair of arms or members l2 andl3 15 which are hinged or pivotally connected by a pivot joint I 4, fora purpose hereinafter described.

The inner arm or member I3 of each bracket is formed at its lower endwith an annular socket 15 containing a ball bearing it which is fittedon 20 the wheel hub at the inner side of the wheel, this end of the arml3 being bent or otherwise formed to provide upper and lower fork arms II to fit above and below or cooperate with the upper and lower fork armsI8 fixed on and projecting out- 25 wardly from the respective end of theaxle housing, and vertical pivot pins I 9 are inserted through thesefork arms I! and I 8 and secure them together pivotally so that the.bracket may swing horizontally about the vertical pivots [9 as axes, 3for steering purposes. These pivots l9 are coincident with the axisaboutwhich the universal joint flexes, as shown.

The outer arm or member I 2 of each bracket is connected, at its lowerend, to a bearing hous- 35 ing or socket 20 which contains a ballbearing 2| fitted on the wheel hub at the outer side of the wheel, andpreferably a cap 22 is threaded removablyfinto the socket 20 to retainthe bearing 2| in place therein. The arm I2 of the bracket-is detachablyconnected to this bearing socket 20 in a suitable manner, as by a screw23 extended through the lower end of the arm l2 and threaded removablyinto a lug 24 extending upwardly from the socket 20. While the screw 23is in place and tightened, it rigidly secures the bracket arm l2 to thebearing socket 20 as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, but when thisscrew is removed, the bracket arm I2 is detached from the bearing socket2|] andsaid bracket arm may then be swung upwardly away from the wheeland into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the arm l2 being thenclear of the wheel and the tire thereon and enabling the tire to bechanged,

whenever necessary, without interference from the bracket.

The hinge or pivot joint M which connects the outer and inner arm ofeach bracket is provided with a clamping bolt 25 which, while tightened,as when the bracket arm I2 is in its normal operative position, rigidlyconnects the bracket arms and enables them to firmly support the wheelin proper position and also retains the bearings on the free .ends ofthe bracket arms in their proper positions on the inner and outer endsof the wheel hub, but loosening of the bolt 25 frees the arm l2 so thatwhen the screw 23 is removed, this arm may be swung into the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 2.

The fork members i8 for attaching the wheel supporting brackets to theaxlehousing maybe formed on or secured to the axle'housinginany suitablemanner, but it is preferable to form these fork members as integralportionsof a'pair of spring seats 26 riveted or otherwise fixed to theaxle housing at its opposite ends, each 'of these spring seats embodyinga sleevelike portion which encircles the axle housing :and .in which thelatter is fixed, and a relatively fiat portion 21 against which theusual longitudinally extending body supporting springs -28:may-beclamped by clamping bolts 29, the springs .holcling the axle housing inits proper position'and preventing rotation, as usual. v

A steering arm 30 is fixed to-the inner arm of each of the wheelsupporting brackets, these steering arms being pivotally connected to.the respective ends of the usual steering tie bar 3| which maintainsthe wheels in proper angular relation, and the wheels may .beconnectedt- 23 and 25 are tightened the arms ormembers l2 and I3 of each bracketconstitute .a rigid supporting structure for each wheel, althoughpermitting the wheels to swing ,or pivot about .the vertical pivotsl9 toeffect steering of the auto- 7 mobile as desired. When itibecomesdesirable or necessary to changea tire on either .wheel, asoccasionally'becomes necessary, especially when pneumatic tires areused, the screw'23 is removed and the bolt 25 loosened, afteritherespective end of the axle has been lifted by a jack as usual, and thearm or member I2 of thebracket, which is at the outer side of the wheel,may thenbe swung upwardly and outwardly away from the wheel and towardor into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the wheelbeing thus rendered accessible so that a. tire maybe removed'therefromor placed thereon without ob-' struction by anypart of the wheelsupporting bracket. After the desired tire change'has been madeythebracket arm or member I2 is swung downwardly and inwardly back: to itsnormal operative position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, thescrew 23 is inserted through said arm and into the lug 24 on the bearingsocket and tightened, and the bolt 25 is tightened to render the hingeor pivot joint rigid, the bracket being thus restored to its rigidcondition for supporting the wheel.

By mounting the front or steering wheels of a front wheel driveautomobile .in yoke-like brackets as herein described, the interiors ofthe hubs of the wheels are unobstructed by the wheel mountings so thatthey may directly receive the driving axle shafts, thus simplifying andimproving the construction of front wheel drive axles.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a front wheel drive for automobiles comvprisingzanaxle housing anddrive shaft extending therefrom and having means for securing it in thehub of the wheel, a wheel supporting bracket'ofyokeshape embodying innerand outer armsstraddling thewheel at its inner and outer sides:.-respectively, the inner arm of the bracket having anannular socketcontaining a bearing mounted on the hub- 20f the wheel at its inner sideand bent-to underlie and overlie the axle housing andhavingmeans forpivotally mounting it on the axle housing, and means pivotallyconnecting the outerarm of the bracket to the inner armthereof to-swingoutwardly away from the'inner arm to render the Wheel accessible fortire changing, a bearing housing containing a bearingsecured on the hubof the wheel at its outer side, and means for detachably connecting thefree'end of the outer arm of the bracket to said bearing housing.

'2. A front wheel mounting for automobiles comprising a yoke-shapedbracket forming inner and ,outerarms to extend to the inner and outersides :respectively :of *the wheel, 'means pivotally connecting theouter arm ofthe bracket to the inner arm thereof at a'point near theperiphery of the wheel to swing outwardly therefrom and thereby :render:the :wheel accessible for tire changing.:af-bearingzhousing containinga bearingamounted :on thehub of the wheel at its outer side and havingmeans "for retaining it on said hub, said bearing'housing also'having alug extending :radiallyitherefrom, and means for detachably andz'rigidlysecuring the free end of saidrouteriarm to said lugofthe bearinghousing.

J3..A .front wheel mounting for automobiles comprising inner and outerwheel supporting arms adapted :to straddle 'the wheel, a bearing mountedon'the'hub .ofithe wheel at the outer side thereof, a housing"containing said bearing and having 1a ilug projecting radiallytherefrom, meanstfor retaining said bearing and housing on said hub,means for detachably and rigidly connectingthe free end of said outerarm to the outer side'of said lug of the bearing housing to permitsaid'outer arm to swing outwardly while the bearing housing remains onthe wheel hub, and a pivotal joint connecting together said inner andouter arms near the periphery of the wheel topermit'the outer arm at theouter side of the wheel to swing outwardly therefrom, said pivotaljointhavingmeans for clamping it to rigidly connect saidarms.

WILSON SELAKOSKY.

